JUDGING TYPE

Appraising Dogs Correctly

Type, balance, and general appearance are of the utmost importance. As a breeder, shun those faults that are hard to breed out. As a judge, remember that any dog can gait soundly, but no matter how well he moves, unless he looks like the breed, he is not typical of the breed.

Type is the embodiment of a Standard's essentials. It does not matter whether you are an official in the ring, an interested spectator, or just appraising dogs in your own kennel, judging dogs is an art based on observation. One can read a Standard and quote it verbatim, but that does not enable one to have the proper mental picture of an ideal dog or to appraise the dog in front of you.

To appraise dogs correctly, one must possess the basic principles that underline all good judging:

A thorough knowledge of the standard

The power of accurate observation.

Sound judgment, which includes the ability to make a logical analysis and to evaluate the good and poor qualities.

No matter if the dog is cropped and docked or has natural ears and tail, is flashy or plain, he/she is a Boxer and head and structure is what is important.

Remember that no dog is perfect. He can score well on individual points and still not be balanced. It is good for a novice to learn the parts of each breed and the relative values attached to each part. However, the animal must be considered as a whole and not as a large number of separate parts in the final analysis.

We put much emphasis on condition and handling in the show ring today. To be sure, fine conditioning and good handling of dogs are things we all like to see at shows. Judging at a show, in every country, is by comparison only with other dogs entered and present at that particular show. When it comes to judging an individual dog, only the degree in which he measures up to his breed Standard counts.

In the Ring

A Boxer has a smooth coat therefore it is a dog that can be judged by eye, (except for his mouth and hardness of muscles) and a wise breeder and judge will learn to do that.
This can be as easily done from outside the judging ring as inside, by looking for:- TYPE, BALANCE, SOUNDNESS!

The Standard states:- "the first thing
to consider when you look at the Boxer is GENERAL APPEARANCE."

The following is a line drawing by the late Marion Fairbrother from her book "Boxer Blarney" of the type of dog to look for as the Boxer enters the ring.

Type· Is the dog characteristic of the breed? Does he look like a Boxer?· Does he combine substance with elegance?· Is his bearing noble, with a look of quality? · Is his coat smooth and shiny and of the correct colour?· Is he a medium sized dog, not too big or too small?

Balance· Does each individual part appear in proportion to the rest of the dog?· Does he give you the impression of a medium sized, square dog?· Is his front and rear angulation correct and in harmony?

Soundness· Is he bright and alert, not nervous or aggressive?· Does his eyes follow you, and his ears twitch at your voice?· Is he fit and well muscled?· Does he move freely, covering plenty of ground, with good reach in front and drive from the rear?

To me this dog exemplifies Marion's drawing in the flesh!

This is the type and balance you would look for in promising 4 and 5 months old puppies